A Tough and Resilient Shovel for an Uncertain Time
As is tradition at Academic Convocation, Senior Class President Brendan Ferrick ’21 chose a shovel from Stonehill’s Ames Shovel Museum to represent the class’s final year. Fitting for a time that seems anything but normal, Ferrick selected the Cast Steel Second-Handled Shovel—an odd-looking shovel that, he notes, embodies the strange life we are currently experiencing.
“Not much is known about this shovel other than the quirky design and its function, along with the materials it is made of. Cast steel, a tough and resilient metal, is built to take a beating and come out OK when the work is done,” said Ferrick, as he presented the shovel to President John Denning, C.S.C. “I compare this to not only our senior class, but also our community as a whole during these uncertain and trying times. Stonehill is resilient, and our senior class is strong.”
The shovel has a wide extra handle to help reduce back and shoulder strain when the user is lifting and tossing dirt. Ferrick continued, “This reminds me of how important it is to have support systems in your life and how this community has the capability and even obligation to come together to keep each other safe—not only from this pandemic, but also from all the struggles life may throw at us.”
Stonehill Alumni Magazine
Summer | Fall 2020